This is the time of year when we go from just harvesting to harvesting in earnest. You actually have to have a plan. What you can’t eat, freeze or can now, you need to give away and give away fast. Here are some great ways to make the most of your bounty.

Pan-Toasted Eggplant and Fresh Mozzarella
I found Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking in a used bookstore in Fayetteville, Ark. Years later, I learned that it was one of Martha Stewart’s favorite cookbooks. It’s the best $2 I ever spent, and this recipe is a keeper.

I adapted it to have more “gloppins,” as my husband calls the crunchy, garlicky topping. The trick is making sure you buy the best mozzarella possible. Most large grocery stores carry the good kind now. Look for mozzarella kept soft in liquid, either in a tub or in the self-serve olive bar. You won’t get any complaints though, if you can only find the ordinary mozzarella that comes packaged like a little softball.

Directions:
1. Take each eggplant and slice in half, lengthwise. Use a short, sharp knife to cut the flesh in a crosshatch (diagonally in both directions.) Cut the flesh deeply but be very careful not to slice through the skin.

2. Lay the eggplant halves skin-side down in a large, deep skillet or sauté pan. They take up some room, so you may need to use two pans.

3. Mix garlic, breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a bowl.

4. Lightly toast the mixture in a skillet, or on a cookie sheet until just browned.

5. Spoon mixture over the eggplant. Let the mixture cool, then use the back of a spoon to push it into the crevices you created by scoring it.

6. Pour the remaining oil evenly over the eggplant and into the pan.

7. Cook covered, over medium-low heat, until the eggplant is very tender when tested with a fork.

8. Top each eggplant half with a layer of sliced mozzarella and then turn the heat up to medium.

9. Cover the pan again and cook just until the cheese has melted.

Homemade tomato sauce contains six times more lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, than fresh tomatoes.

Easy, Quick Tomato Sauce
The only thing I learned to make from my Irish grandmothers was reservations. I had to figure out how to make a good, basic tomato sauce for myself. This is good on pasta, on top of grilled chicken breasts, or roasted or grilled vegetables. Serves four generously.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced crosswise
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh garlic
¼ cup water
2 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled, sliced lengthwise and seeded. (We like to use ‘Roma’ tomatoes, since they are meatier and have fewer seeds, but use what you have. If you are using ‘Roma’, it will take about a dozen.)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped

Midsummer Gardening Tips:

• Water, water, water. Vegetables need at least 2 inches of water a week. Use soaker hoses, rather than watering from overhead. This ensures water gets to the roots of plants, where it is needed most, and it reduces opportunistic fungus disease.

• Reapply mulch, if regular weeding has resulted in loss of good cover.

• Pick zucchini and eggplant when small for a better-tasting, tender vegetable.

• Pick tomatoes frequently to encourage more production. To prevent bruising and cracking, pick tomatoes when they are mostly dark green and just beginning to turn red. Allow them to ripen off of the vine.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of State-by-State Gardening, its parent company or affiliates. The author is solely responsible for all content. Our articles are only meant to educate and entertain our readers. We are not medical professionals and cannot recommend the ingestion or topical application of any herbal remedy, poultice, tea, etc. Please consult a medical professional before ingesting any plant.